Connect with Us

Book celebrates ‘Tour de Coop’

Two years ago, “somebody” invited Nancy Rekow to sell her book “Minnie Rose Lovgreen’s Recipe for Raising Chickens” at the fledgling “Tour de Coop,” a self-guided tour of the island’s many poultry pens.

“It was such a good time talking to chicken lovers,” Rekow said. “It was just fun.”

From there, she was introduced to the tour’s originator and manager, JoAnn Trick.

“She’s very creative,” Rekow said. “The event has such a good spirit. People are comfortable because of her.”

When Rekow was tapped to be interviewed for a Seattle radio program, the station wanted real, live chickens peeping in the background.

“People told me to ask JoAnn,” Rekow said. “That she would know who would be willing to provide the setting.”

Trick offered her own place, the Bainbridge home she shares with wood craftsman Steve Trick. Their friendship blossomed, and when they met on the street on Winslow Way in late summer, they got to talking.

“She had an idea about creating a book about chicken coops,” Rekow said. “But she wasn’t sure how to go about it.”

Rekow and husband Everett Thompson own NW Trillium Press, an independent publishing company that has produced several island-based books over the years, including “Recipe for Raising Chickens.”

They decided to collaborate and Trick set about gathering stories from the dozens of coop owners who have put chicken houses on display in the past three years.

The result is a new book “Chicken Raising Tales,” an anthology of stories and photos from the Bainbridge Island Tour de Coop, 2009-2011.

A book reading and signing will be at 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27 at the Bainbridge Island Grange Hall, 10340 N. Madison Ave. Several coop owners who have participated in the tour will share their stories at the reading.

The 60-page book features a photo by Norm Woolridge on the cover and an acrylic painting by Robyn Krutch on the back. Photos of all but one of the coops are included inside.

The books will retail for $12 and will be available at Bay Hay & Feed, Dana’s Showhouse and Eagle Harbor Book Company after Nov. 27.

A special pre-order price of $10 plus tax is available through Nov. 27. To reserve books at this price, contact Trick at 842-4662.

We encourage an open exchange of ideas on this story's topic, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. Personal attacks, inappropriate language, and off-topic comments may be removed, and comment privileges revoked, per our Terms of Use. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.